Saurabh Agarwal
Director
It's no wonder Growit is swiftly becoming a go-to partner for major protective farming products, such as plastic mulch film, shade nets, crop/fruit covers, sticky traps, pond liners, lay flat tubes, vermi beds, mulch laying/ hole punching machines and Agri wires that will ensure sustainable, efficient and cost-effective agricultural practices. Saurabh Agarwal (Director, Growit India Pvt. Ltd), a third-generation entrepreneur who graduated from Cardiff University in the UK specializing in Supply Chain Management, is piloting this new mission into perfection. In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights, Saurabh talks about his professional journey while also divulging the company's latest endeavors.
What inspired you to venture into the agrisolutions domain, and what motivates you to press forward every day?
We've been manufacturing plastics packaging products for over 30 years and have provided packaging solutions for the food industry in that time. We were seeing a lot of food wastage and how we will go from being 'food surplus' to 'food deficit' within our generation, and we decided to do something about that. Mulch film, and by extension "Protective Farming", was perfect as it allowed us to reach out to the farmer and understand their pain points while keeping true to our plastics background. Having gone around the country and interacting
with the farmers, we know we have taken a small step in the right direction whenever we see positive results at a farm due to the practices we are encouraging. Today, only two percent of Indian farmers follow 'Protective Farming' techniques, so our work has only begun, and we have a long way to go.
What has been the biggest challenge that you have faced so far in the Agri-solutions domain?
The biggest challenge for me and us, as a company, was to connect with the farmers. We had no previous experience with farming and didn't have a clue as to what issues a farmer faces on a daily basis. We had to take a step back and first understand what it means to be a farmer and then see how our product helps with increasing yield.
Define Growit India as an organization and its position in the industry
Growit India provides products for 'Protective Farming', which includes mulch film, shade net, crop
cover, and many more products. Today, we are the youngest company to be impaneled by multiple states' horticulture departments as authorized vendors for our products. Within four years, we have consolidated ourselves as one of the Top 5 manufacturers of 'Protective Farming' products, sooner than anyone else in the industry.
What are the technology trends and innovations the company is looking at currently?
Being in the Agri sector, which is being challenged by climate change, we must keep innovating our products and keep finding the latest farming practices to reduce the impact of unpredictable weather. We are also in the process of launching an app, as early as January 2022, where any farmer can learn what "Protective farming" is and how they can adopt these practices.
In your professional journey so far, which are the milestones that have bestowed you with utmost satisfaction – both personally and professionally?
What has been the biggest challenge that you have faced so far in the Agri-solutions domain?
The biggest challenge for me and us, as a company, was to connect with the farmers. We had no previous experience with farming and didn't have a clue as to what issues a farmer faces on a daily basis. We had to take a step back and first understand what it means to be a farmer and then see how our product helps with increasing yield.
Define Growit India as an organization and its position in the industry
Growit India provides products for 'Protective Farming', which includes mulch film, shade net, crop
cover, and many more products. Today, we are the youngest company to be impaneled by multiple states' horticulture departments as authorized vendors for our products. Within four years, we have consolidated ourselves as one of the Top 5 manufacturers of 'Protective Farming' products, sooner than anyone else in the industry.
Having gone around the country and interacting with the farmers, we know we have taken a small step in the right direction whenever we see positive results at a farm due to the practices we are encouraging
What are the technology trends and innovations the company is looking at currently?
Being in the Agri sector, which is being challenged by climate change, we must keep innovating our products and keep finding the latest farming practices to reduce the impact of unpredictable weather. We are also in the process of launching an app, as early as January 2022, where any farmer can learn what "Protective farming" is and how they can adopt these practices.
In your professional journey so far, which are the milestones that have bestowed you with utmost satisfaction – both personally and professionally?
For over 35 years, we've been a packaging solutions provider and found great success across all the products. Transitioning from that to an agricultural product and growing every day in this must be one of the most satisfying milestones of my life. On top of that, we transitioned from being in the B2B space to now supplying directly to farmers (B2C) has been another significant milestone for myself and Growit India. Lastly, on a personal front, having never grown a single fruit or vegetable until 2020, having a small farm with over ten types of vegetables was a great source of satisfaction for me. Not to mention, this is what gave me the idea of having demo plots and showcasing our products.
Where do you envision yourself in about a few years from now, and what are your long term and short-term plans?
In the short term, our goal is to have five lakh farmers on our portal; and in the long term, we want to be a billion-dollar company.
Saurabh Agarwal, Director, Growit India Pvt. Ltd
Saurabh graduated from Cardiff University in the UK, specializing in Supply Chain Management. He then joined the family business, Alpha Group, in 2006. Saurabh is a keen achiever looking to enhance his growth path, and after three years of heading Alpha, he decided to expand his network by getting his MBA from SP. Jain Institute of Management with a focus on Family Managed Business (FMB). Saurabh now heads the family business Alpha Plastomers and has been actively working on expanding the Plasticulture arm of the business. His motivation behind GROWiT is to encourage a sustainable agriculture ecosystem in the country. He has an absolute green thumb and is an avid gardener who loves to grow his own vegetables at home!
Hobbies: Growing Fruits and Vegetables (Agriculture), Playing Tennis, Travelling, & Reading.
Favorite Cuisine: Home Made Food
Favorite Book: Courage to be Disliked, Atomic Habit and Ikigai
Favorite Travel Destination: "Love to travel, so any destination is good," he says.
Awards & Recognition:
• Indian Achiever's Award 2021 for the Most Promising Company – GrowiT India Pvt. Ltd. and for the Entrepreneur of the Year – Saurabh Agarwal
• Industrial Excellence Awards & Conference for Best company of the year 2019 – Alpha Plastomers Pvt. Ltd.
• Modern Plastics India for Best of Plastics 100 companies in India presented to Alpha Plastomers Pvt. Ltd.
Where do you envision yourself in about a few years from now, and what are your long term and short-term plans?
In the short term, our goal is to have five lakh farmers on our portal; and in the long term, we want to be a billion-dollar company.
Saurabh Agarwal, Director, Growit India Pvt. Ltd
Saurabh graduated from Cardiff University in the UK, specializing in Supply Chain Management. He then joined the family business, Alpha Group, in 2006. Saurabh is a keen achiever looking to enhance his growth path, and after three years of heading Alpha, he decided to expand his network by getting his MBA from SP. Jain Institute of Management with a focus on Family Managed Business (FMB). Saurabh now heads the family business Alpha Plastomers and has been actively working on expanding the Plasticulture arm of the business. His motivation behind GROWiT is to encourage a sustainable agriculture ecosystem in the country. He has an absolute green thumb and is an avid gardener who loves to grow his own vegetables at home!
Hobbies: Growing Fruits and Vegetables (Agriculture), Playing Tennis, Travelling, & Reading.
Favorite Cuisine: Home Made Food
Favorite Book: Courage to be Disliked, Atomic Habit and Ikigai
Favorite Travel Destination: "Love to travel, so any destination is good," he says.
Awards & Recognition:
• Indian Achiever's Award 2021 for the Most Promising Company – GrowiT India Pvt. Ltd. and for the Entrepreneur of the Year – Saurabh Agarwal
• Industrial Excellence Awards & Conference for Best company of the year 2019 – Alpha Plastomers Pvt. Ltd.
• Modern Plastics India for Best of Plastics 100 companies in India presented to Alpha Plastomers Pvt. Ltd.